Don’t accept Bello Turji’s call for reconciliation, Northern elders advise Tinubu.
Written by Noble People Crew on 6 September 2024
He made it clear that reconciling with individuals who had committed horrible crimes against innocent citizens would be a breach of public trust.
Following a supposed video of the bandits’ boss, Bello Turji, seeking peace with the Federal Government, a group called Northern Elders has warned President Bola Tinubu to disregard his shenanigans.
Alhaji Mustafa Dutsima, the Northwest Chairman of the Arewa Elders Progressive Group, delivered a statement in Kaduna on Thursday warning against any attempt to reconcile with bandits.
According to him, people’s morale has improved, and they are now confident and satisfied with military actions in several theatres.
He claimed that Bello Turji was simply claiming to be prepared for reconciliation, given the amount of lives he and his group had been involved in banditry in Nigeria’s northwest for some years.
“We, the North Elders, feel forced to address an urgent matter that jeopardizes our country’s security and stability.
“According to recent rumours, President Tinubu is considering reconciling with infamous robber Turji and his companions.
“We strongly advise against this move, as it will set a dangerous precedent and undermine the government’s efforts to combat banditry,” she said.
He made it clear that reconciling with individuals who had committed horrible crimes against innocent citizens would be a breach of public trust.
While commending the military operations going on so far in various villages of Shinkafi and Jibia, especially air and ground attacks, Dutsinma urged the military to continue the Offensives to yield effective results.
He believes that reconciling with the bandits would be a slap in the face of the victims and their families, who have endured unspeakable anguish and loss while demanding justice and accountability for those responsible for the crimes.
The Chairman stated that the movement of the Minister of State for Defense, Bello Matawalle, the Chief of Defence Staff, other service heads, and senior military officers to difficult areas in the north demonstrated the federal government’s commitment to combating banditry.
“So far, based on ongoing military strikes forcing some bandits to flee to other locations, reconciliation without accountability will be a miscarriage of justice and a disservice to the nation.
“The main responsibility of any government
is to ensure the security and safety of its people. We urge President Tinubu to prioritize this obligation and avoid any acts that could jeopardize it.
“Turji and his cohorts have perpetrated horrific crimes such as murder, kidnapping, and property devastation. “They must face the full force of the law, rather than being offered a reconciliatory olive branch,” Dutsinma stated.
He urged President Tinubu to prioritize national security before any reconciliation efforts, emphasizing that the safety of citizens and the integrity of the nation depended on it.
Dutsinma also urged the president to ensure that those responsible for banditry were held accountable, claiming that anything less would be a failure of leadership and a violation of public trust.